Before I Fall to Pieces
by Alidiabin
Summary: Post 8x24 Abby and McGee talk about commitment and failed relationships. McGee/Abby friendship. Abby/Cade, McGee/Maxine hints.


**Title: **Before I Fall to Pieces**  
>Fandom: <strong>NCIS**  
>Author: <strong>Alidiabin**  
>Words: <strong>1,268**  
>Disclaimer: <strong>I own nothing**  
>Warnings Spoilers:** 8x23/8x24 **  
>Parings:<strong> McGee/Abby friendship. Abby/Cade, McGee/Maxine  
><strong>Beta<strong>: Anonymous033 (who is just the most awesome beta ever)  
><strong>Summary: <strong>McGee and Abby talk about commitment and failed romances.

_**Before I Fall to Pieces**_

The sun was shining on the afternoon after Mike Frank's funeral and as McGee went on a coffee run. He noticed the bench that he had sat on during various occasions when he had been lost in thought was occupied, not by a tired tourist, but by somebody sitting under a black parasol. Abby.

"Penny for your thoughts," McGee said as he sat down next to Abby, after collecting the coffee. Abby turned to face him with a shocked look on her face.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people Timmy, that's how my Uncle Ernie had his heart attack," she said. McGee mentally scrolled through his brain for all of Abby's aunts and uncles; some were biologically related, but many were not due to her father's extensive stay in the Louisianan foster care system. Ernie was a new one.

"Sorry Abs," he said as he handed her the Caf-Pow! he had brought her.

"Mike's dead, Ziva got an empty ring box, Palmer's getting married, and Simon's going to Washington State," Abby said with a hint of sadness.

"I know Abs," McGee said. McGee knew: he'd comforted Abby over Mike's death, seen Ziva fiddle with an empty box, congratulated Palmer on his upcoming nuptials, and asked Simon Cade about his plans.

"It never happens right for me," Abby said, "I mean I'm happy for Palmer and Breena, and I hope Ray doesn't hurt Ziva but…"

"It never happens right," McGee said quietly as he mentally scrolled through his long list of failed romances, most of which failed before the second date, as he seemed to attract the crazy ones.

"What are you talking about; you're sticking your joystick in that female gamer," Abby said as she stirred the straw in her drink.

McGee gulped; he and Maxine were in a strange place in their relationship. She had informed him that she wanted a committed relationship, which had freaked him out. He had then used work and the Port-to-Port killer as an excuse to avoid any long and serious conversations with her. A part of him wondered if it would be long over by the time Palmer got married, and that part didn't really care either. The only reason the others did not know this was because they had all made such an effort to get him and Maxine together. Ziva and Tony had looked so pleased with themselves when they'd heard about his and Maxine's date.

"I mean I really liked Simon," Abby said, "I know you and Tony think I was just experimenting with him like you had thought I was with Marty." McGee had no idea what Abby was on about; he had been generally happy for her when he'd found out she was seeing Cade. "But I liked him and I thought I could be happy; I mean he wasn't on the other side of the country like Eric. I know Ziva and Ray managed to make the long-distance thing work but I don't think I could have. And Simon wasn't like Alejandro, he wasn't dirty and using me…"

McGee quickly realized that there was no point trying to talk to Abby seriously; she was having a word vomit. He was a brick wall; she was bouncing her emotions off him to soothe herself and work out her feelings.

"And he wasn't like Marty who, despite being on the outside of society because of his height, was judgmental; or like Mikael who was, well he was just a freak," Abby said as she thought back to all of her failed romances. As she got older, she realized she had not gotten wiser in the dating department. She had gotten worse. Dating stalkers and drug dealers. She mentally head-slapped herself. "Oh god Timmy I should just join a nunnery," she declared. "Why don't you and Gibbs just not let me out of my lab, at least in there…oh wait in there I can be shot by terrorists, have to deal with evil lab assistants who want to frame Tony or weird MIT graduates who want to steal from the military. No offense Timmy." She said it all ridiculously quickly.

"None taken, I think," McGee said. "Abs it's not your fault."

"Timmy I'm getting close to the big four-zero and I've dated losers and criminals and two NCIS agents," Abby cried. "I should just not go out."

"Abby, stop beating yourself up," McGee said. "You're beautiful, funny, original, and so smart. One day the perfect guy will come-"

"And send me platform boots as gifts," Abby interrupted. McGee raised his eyebrows. "Ziva tried to give me the same pep talk."

"Pep talks are not her strong suit," McGee said, thinking of the few Ziva had tried to give him over the years; the problem was not her words but her delivery – she was too abrupt. Maybe such techniques worked in her family – not that McGee could picture Eli David giving his daughter a pep talk – but somehow they always felt a little off when given to the team. "Anyway, I was going to say 'sweep you off your feet like they do in the movies'."

"Next you'll be quoting movies," Abby said with a smile. "Is that what you and Tony do on your boys' nights out? Watch movies."

"What?" McGee said as he rolled his eyes.

"McGee, I know that one day some guy could come and make me happy; I just wanted it to be Simon. And even if I don't meet Price Charming I'll be happy; I have the best job ever, my really cute niece, and great friends." Abby said in a voice that made McGee feel **dumb.**

During her and McGee's talk she had realized he was right. She was smart and funny; and it just wasn't the right time for her and Simon. She had realized as the caffeine hit her bloodstream that life was too short to be worrying about some stupid boy and silly things like love.

McGee had known Abby for eight years and was no closer to understanding her than he had been in the beginning.

"Thanks for the Caf-Pow! Timmy," Abby said, getting up. She turned back to face him, "and thanks for helping me sort through some things."

"Ok," McGee said. "Listen, do you want to help me take Jethro for a walk tomorrow?" He wanted to be sure Abby was really okay tomorrow, and a shared dog-walk was a good pretence for a check-up.

"Of course Timmy, I bet he misses me because I really miss him," Abby said as she walked down the street, with a smile on her face, and twisting her black parasol.

McGee sat on the bench for a few minutes longer, trying to fathom what had just happened. In the end he gave up, because after all it was Abby. She would probably be a mystery to him until the day she died. He was just happy she was okay again, and acting Abby-like.

He got up and picked up the coffees he had bought for Gibbs and the others. He realized that all of the coffees were stone cold. That meant he had been talking to Abby for quite a while, and that Gibbs was going to kill him for being out so late and depriving him of his coffee. He remembered the rule: don't mess with a Marine's coffee if you want to live. McGee turned back towards the coffee shop. He all but ran towards the shop, and found himself at the end of the queue during the afternoon rush.

Gibbs was definitely going to kill him.

**A/N**: I'm kinda new to writing these characters. So any comments saying 'Ali this is OOC' will be read and learned from. Other reviews/comments will also be read and replied too.


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